Provincial Reconstruction Team Agriculture Advisors (Iraq/Afghanistan) – multiple positions as required

Grade: GS-301-13

Area of Consideration: All Sources

These positions are administratively assigned to the Post Conflict and Disaster Assistance Branch of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDAD/PCDA), but will be located in and work directly with the Department of State on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Iraq or with the U.S. military of PRTs in Afghanistan. PRTs are teams composed of civilian and military personnel, charged with the reconstruction and stabilization of the provinces where they operate. USDA and other agencies such as the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development have been charged with the responsibility to provide advisors to these teams. The PRT advisor will be posted in a provincial location in either Iraq or Afghanistan. The work will be conducted in hazardous environments and under difficult living conditions.

This position is subject to special pay allowances which are equal to 75% on top of base salary and locality pay.

To apply, please send a) a cover letter that directly and individually addresses each of the Required Skills listed below; and b) your current resume of experience and qualifications to the Program Officer listed below. Email applications are preferred. Please state clearly in the email subject line the title of the position for which you are applying.

Required Skills:

• Ability in one or more of the following skill areas; agribusiness; improving livestock health and animal production (sheep, goats, cattle, or poultry); dryland agriculture, especially improvement of wheat yields and crop diversification; production and processing of horticultural crops, especially dried fruit and nuts, fresh melons, pomegranates, and grapes; improving irrigation and farm water use efficiency and storage; tree production, reforestation, re-vegetation; agricultural extension; and engineering for a variety of agricultural needs
• Experience or ability in identifying needs and fashioning technical and programmatic recommendations
• Ability to work with others on a team
• Experience or interest in working with people from other countries or cultures
• Ability to develop projects
• A familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as Internet Explorer
• Ability to train others and build their technical capacity

Contact: Matt Murphy

Email: Matt.Murphy@fas.usda.gov

Telephone: (202) 690-1924

FAX: (202) 720-6364

Mailing Address: Matt Murphy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, FAS/OCBD/DRDA/PCDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3208-S, STOP 1084, Washington, DC 20250-1084.

*NOTE* You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position and able to pass a State Department medical clearance for overseas assignment and have or secure a Secret Security clearance.

This announcement is open for continuous recruitment. Applications will be regularly reviewed and selected candidates will be contacted for interviews on a rolling basis.